Lightning, typhoons over Edwards Published May 28, 2014 By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An F-35 Lightning II, BF-17, piloted by Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Jonathan Ohman, F-35 Integrated Test Force, performs interoperability testing with two British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons over the ranges at Edwards AFB, Calif., April 4. BF-17 is a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 and is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps. The RAF typhoons visited the California High Desert for the interoperability testing with F-35s. BF-17 arrived March 2013 to conduct mission system testing throughout the System Development and Demonstration phase. Testing at Edwards will play a critical role in reaching the 2014 initial operational capability for the Marines.